# Fundraising Tracker

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-name-type-priority-s" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 3344.62px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 20.0238%;"></col><col style="width: 15.0179%;"></col><col style="width: 8.46246%;"></col><col style="width: 21.3349%;"></col><col style="width: 19.7855%;"></col><col style="width: 15.4946%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="height: 29.7969px;">**Name**</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">**Type**</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">**Priority**</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">**Status**</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">**Owner**</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">Remarks</td></tr><tr style="height: 46.5938px;"><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Arinda Family </td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Recoverable Grant</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">High</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">[1k Contributed](https://opencollective.com/nfe/contributions/866412)</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 46.5938px;"><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Kimbowa Family</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Recoverable Grant</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">High</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Offered 1k USD, not yet contributed</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 80.1875px;"><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Tushabe Family</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Recoverable Grant</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">High</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">[10k USD Contributed on Dec 1st 2024](https://opencollective.com/nfe/contributions/862499)  
</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">  
</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Added an addition ~1800 USD in October 2025</td></tr><tr style="height: 293.922px;"><td style="height: 293.922px;">[Mercy Corp Ventures](https://www.mercycorps.org/what-we-do/ventures)</td><td style="height: 293.922px;">Equity   
</td><td style="height: 293.922px;">medium</td><td style="height: 293.922px;">Reviewed [the deck](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mNKqGWw_H6QyRjha-BIiT1UvxncdEzU3emUuIpv9T1g/edit?slide=id.p1#slide=id.p1) in May 2025.   
  
While the team liked the community angle, the key concerns were

1. The scalability of the model and
2. Traction (it's still early)

Requested to be added to investor newsletter

</td><td style="height: 293.922px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 293.922px;">We are no longer pursuing equity funders because as a co-op, we don't have equity to offer. </td></tr><tr style="height: 102.594px;"><td style="height: 102.594px;">[Energy Sector Management Assistance Program - ESMAP (World bank)](https://www.esmap.org/activities)</td><td style="height: 102.594px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 102.594px;">medium</td><td style="height: 102.594px;">  
</td><td style="height: 102.594px;">  
</td><td style="height: 102.594px;">Co-organises the Global Off-Grid Solar Forum &amp; Expo with GOGLA (see GOGLA row).

</td></tr><tr style="height: 80.1797px;"><td style="height: 80.1797px;">[Echoing Green Fellowship](https://echoinggreen.org/fellowship/apply/)

</td><td style="height: 80.1797px;">Recoverable Grant</td><td style="height: 80.1797px;">high</td><td style="height: 80.1797px;">Submitted on October 7th 2025. **Not selected** for the 2026 Fellowship.

</td><td style="height: 80.1797px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 80.1797px;">2026 Fellows were announced Sept 1, 2026.

</td></tr><tr style="height: 80.1875px;"><td style="height: 80.1875px;">[EEP Africa (Nordic Development Fund)](https://eepafrica.org/financing#innovation)

</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">high</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Closed for 2025, planning to apply for 2026. Not sure when it opens again

Oct 28th 2026: the 2026 call (grants up to €500k, Uganda eligible, applicant registered 6+ months, co-financing required) closed on March 16th 2026 and we missed it. Watch eepafrica.org for the 2027 call, likely early in the year.

</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Solarise Africa won a €1M EEP Africa grant for Zambia/Uganda on a similar "reliable power where the grid fails" case (USEA briefing, Oct 20th 2026).

</td></tr><tr style="height: 57.7969px;"><td style="height: 57.7969px;">[Africa Climate Change Fund](https://accf.afdb.org/en)

</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 57.7969px;"><td style="height: 57.7969px;">[African Green Banks (AFBD)](https://www.afdb.org/en/topics-and-sectors/initiatives-and-partnerships/african-green-banks-initiative)

</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">Grant + Debt</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 70.7422px;"><td style="height: 70.7422px;">[Alliance for Green Infrastructure (AFDB)](https://www.afdb.org/en/topics-and-sectors/initiatives-and-partnerships/alliance-green-infrastructure-africa)

</td><td style="height: 70.7422px;">Grants + Debt</td><td style="height: 70.7422px;">high</td><td style="height: 70.7422px;">Send an email to [<span class="adr" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(197, 209, 211); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(33, 41, 44); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 172, 255); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;">info@africa50.com</span></span>](mailto:info@africa50.com)<span style="color: rgb(197, 209, 211); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(33, 41, 44); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;"> </span> on August 23rd. </td><td style="height: 70.7422px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 70.7422px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 113.766px;"><td style="height: 113.766px;">[Beyond the Grid](https://beyondthegrid.africa/funding-rounds/)

</td><td style="height: 113.766px;">  
</td><td style="height: 113.766px;">  
</td><td style="height: 113.766px;">No open applications yet

https://beyondthegrid.africa/funding-rounds/

</td><td style="height: 113.766px;">  
</td><td style="height: 113.766px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 57.7969px;"><td style="height: 57.7969px;">[US Department of Energy](https://www.energy.gov/osdbu/funding-opportunity-announcements-and-grants)

</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">Grants</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 63.3906px;"><td style="height: 63.3906px;">[Nithio](https://nithio.com/borrow/)

</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Debt</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">  
</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Needs at least 2 years of business to pass loan application</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 130.586px;"><td style="height: 130.586px;">[Mission 300 (World bank)](https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/energizing-africa)

</td><td style="height: 130.586px;">  
</td><td style="height: 130.586px;">low</td><td style="height: 130.586px;">  
</td><td style="height: 130.586px;">  
</td><td style="height: 130.586px;">Focusing on power for remote and off grid communities so no aligned with our early stage objectives  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 113.781px;"><td style="height: 113.781px;">[Factor E](https://www.factore.com/contact)

</td><td style="height: 113.781px;">Equity</td><td style="height: 113.781px;">  
</td><td style="height: 113.781px;">  
</td><td style="height: 113.781px;">  
</td><td style="height: 113.781px;">We are no longer pursuing equity funders because as a co-op, we don't have equity to offer. </td></tr><tr style="height: 46.5938px;"><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Kiva.org

</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Debt</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Check back on August 15th</td></tr><tr style="height: 80.1719px;"><td style="height: 80.1719px;">[Digital Africa](https://www.digital-africa.co/)</td><td style="height: 80.1719px;">?</td><td style="height: 80.1719px;">  
</td><td style="height: 80.1719px;">Applied on June 17th 2025. Waiting for Feedback</td><td style="height: 80.1719px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 80.1719px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 46.5938px;"><td style="height: 46.5938px;">[Aquarious Foundation](https://theaquariusfoundation.org/)</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Grant or Debt</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Applied on June 17th 2025. Waiting feedback</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 96.9844px;"><td style="height: 96.9844px;">[Start-coop](https://www.start.coop/accelerator)</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">  
</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Applied on June 18th.

We did not qualify because we are not (yet) based in North America

</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Expect $5k to $50k</td></tr><tr style="height: 63.3906px;"><td style="height: 63.3906px;">[LabStart](https://www.labstart.co/apply)</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">  
</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Submitted application on July 7th.

Not Accepted

</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 35.3984px;"><td style="height: 35.3984px;">[CataCap](https://catacap.org/raisemoney/)</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">Grant / DAF</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">medium</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">  
</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">Aaron Tushabe </td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 35.3984px;"><td style="height: 35.3984px;">[Mission300](https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/energizing-africa)</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">Grant? </td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">  
</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">  
</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 147.383px;"><td style="height: 147.383px;">[Energy IoT Open Source](https://www.eiot.energy/)</td><td style="height: 147.383px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 147.383px;">  
</td><td style="height: 147.383px;">Pledged 3k by Arila Barnes (founder and CEO)</td><td style="height: 147.383px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 147.383px;">Received 2.8k in April 2026</td></tr><tr style="height: 164.172px;"><td style="height: 164.172px;">[Project Spark EU](https://project-spark.info/joint-innovation-facility-application-form/)</td><td style="height: 164.172px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 164.172px;">high</td><td style="height: 164.172px;">Submitted on September 15th 2025 with EnAccess and The Gym Rwanda

</td><td style="height: 164.172px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 164.172px;">Got feedback on Nov 21st 2025 that we did not meet the eligibility criteria but they didn't elaborate on which criteria  
  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 35.3984px;"><td style="height: 35.3984px;">[AMAP](https://sefaafrica.org/amap)</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">  
</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">medium</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;"></td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">  
</td><td style="height: 35.3984px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 147.375px;"><td style="height: 147.375px;">Praxis</td><td style="height: 147.375px;">  
</td><td style="height: 147.375px;">High</td><td style="height: 147.375px;">Submitted on September 20th 2025.

</td><td style="height: 147.375px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 147.375px;">We did not get in. They thought we were among the top applicants and recommended we apply again next year.</td></tr><tr style="height: 113.781px;"><td style="height: 113.781px;">[UGEFA](https://agefa.eu/about/)</td><td style="height: 113.781px;">  
</td><td style="height: 113.781px;">medium</td><td style="height: 113.781px;"></td><td style="height: 113.781px;">Aaron Tushabe / Dansturn</td><td style="height: 113.781px;">Requires 2+ years of operations so we would need to apply via green volta</td></tr><tr style="height: 80.1875px;"><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Green Volta</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Recoverable Grant</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">high</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Waiting on Budget from NFE to confirm how much they can contribute

</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Dansturn</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 80.1875px;"><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Samuel Tondo</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Recoverable Grant</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">high</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Waiting on Budget from NFE to confirm how much they can contribute

</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">  
</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 63.3906px;"><td style="height: 63.3906px;">[Digital Energy Challenge](https://digital-energy.eu/en/digital-energy-challenge-for-start-call-projects)</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">high</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Applied to the Tech Accelerator on June 17th 2026 (application 00298). Also started a Partnership application (00076) on June 12th.

Followed up with contact@afddigitalenergychallenge.com on Aug 25th; no reply yet.

Still no reply in NFE mail as of Oct 28th 2026. Chase again.

</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Asked for €150k (€112.5k grant + €37.5k expert support).

</td></tr><tr style="height: 96.9844px;"><td style="height: 96.9844px;">[D-Prize](https://d-prize.org/#application-process)</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">high</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Submitted on October 28th 2025. **Not selected.**

</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">The 2026 competition is open again (reminder email Oct 12, 2026), so consider reapplying.

</td></tr><tr style="height: 80.1875px;"><td style="height: 80.1875px;">[MSISV](https://bookstack.nearlyfreeenergy.com/v)</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Grant and Equity </td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">high</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Email sent on Oct 16th 2025 to find out when applications will be open again

</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 96.9844px;"><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Sunbird AI </td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Fellowship</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">  
</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">They are offering a research program that could help us develop V1 of our autonomous microgrid

</td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">Aaron Tushabe </td><td style="height: 96.9844px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 57.7969px;"><td style="height: 57.7969px;">[Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA)](https://www.afdb.org/en/topics-and-sectors/initiatives-partnerships/sustainable-energy-fund-for-africa)

</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">Grant</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">low</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">No links to getting involved

</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 57.7969px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 80.1875px;"><td style="height: 80.1875px;">[Energy IoT Open Source](https://www.eiot.energy/)

</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Donations</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">medium</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">EIoT can service as a fiscal sponsor to receive tax deductible US donations on our behalf.

</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">  
</td><td style="height: 80.1875px;">Need to register a US entity for this </td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="height: 29.7969px;">Funding Hope

</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">Crowd funding</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">medium</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;"></td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 29.7969px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 46.5938px;"><td style="height: 46.5938px;">[Develop Ventures](https://www.developpp.de/en/funding-programme/startups/)

</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Grant matching </td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">medium</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Uganda not eligible right now

</td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Aaron Tushabe </td><td style="height: 46.5938px;">Closes Dec 31 2025</td></tr><tr style="height: 130.578px;"><td style="height: 130.578px;">Carbon Credits

</td><td style="height: 130.578px;">  
</td><td style="height: 130.578px;">low</td><td style="height: 130.578px;">Initial meeting with Ashaba told us that this is going to be a long lead time option to explore.. at least 7 years before any credits are verified and bankable

</td><td style="height: 130.578px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 130.578px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 63.3906px;"><td style="height: 63.3906px;">[DRK Foundation](https://www.drkfoundation.org/apply-for-funding/)

</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">  
</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">high</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Focusses on post pilot, pre-scale. I think we are not yet post pilot

</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">Aaron Tushabe</td><td style="height: 63.3906px;">  
</td></tr><tr><td>[IEEE Smart Village (ISV)](https://smartvillage.ieee.org/join-us/)

</td><td>Grant (staged seed funding)</td><td>high</td><td>Intro email sent on Oct 20th 2026 to Abdullateef Aliyu (abdullateef@ieee.org), Africa Regional Working Group, cc smartvillagestaff@ieee.org. Asked whether grid-connected urban microgrids are in scope and requested a call.

Waiting for reply; follow up early November if no response.

</td><td>Aaron Tushabe</td><td>First round is usually up to $25k, with follow-on funding up to $200k after results.

Intake needs a 2-page concept note, lean canvas and 5-year cash flow forecast; the regional group mentors the proposal, then the Project Development Committee reviews it quarterly (6–8 weeks), then a contract is signed (2–4 weeks).

Most spend should go to income-generating assets, and the project must cover electricity, education and enterprise. Paid in tranches against progress reports.

Met ISV at PowerAfrica Nairobi, Sept 2026.

</td></tr><tr><td>[GOGLA: Global Off-Grid Solar Forum &amp; Expo (Kigali, Oct 27–29th 2026)](https://www.offgridsolarforum.org/page/6599350/access-to-finance)

</td><td>Event / investor matchmaking</td><td>high</td><td>Dansturn is in Kigali for OSEAS (Oct 26–27th). A free-pass request to Laura Bonilla (l.bonilla@gogla.org, Events), cc Megan Taylor (m.taylor@gogla.org), was drafted on Oct 21st but there's no sign it was sent as of Oct 28th.

Full pass is $1,650 and the expo-only pass is $50; no budget for either. The local-company investor roundtable is on Oct 29th.

</td><td>Dansturn / Aaron</td><td>Even if we can't attend: sign up for the GOGLA Virtual Pitchbook (seen by investors before and after the forum), and get the 2026 Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report launched there.

GOGLA members get event discounts.

</td></tr><tr><td>[USEA Solar Innovation Challenge &amp; Business Pitch](https://www.useaug.org)

</td><td>Pitch / event</td><td>medium</td><td>Applied on Aug 15th 2026 to pitch the RPM at the USEA National Solar Expo (Aug 26–28th). USEA acknowledged on Aug 20th, but we got no decision despite follow-ups on Aug 20th and 25th.

</td><td>Aaron Tushabe</td><td>Next Expo is Aug 25–27th 2027; ask to be on the pitch list early.

Check whether NFE is a USEA member; every weekly briefing pushes membership.

</td></tr><tr><td>[GET.invest Finance Readiness Support](https://www.get-invest.eu/finance-access-advisory/finance-readiness-support/)

</td><td>Advisory (technical assistance)</td><td>high</td><td>Not applied. Runs year-round in rounds; the last round closed on Oct 20th 2026, and feedback comes 6–8 weeks after each round closes.

</td><td>Aaron Tushabe</td><td>Free support for early-stage, locally owned companies: financial model, pitch deck, investor introductions. Apply at apply.get-invest.eu.

</td></tr><tr><td>[EU Delegation to Uganda (Uganda–EU Business Forum)](https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/uganda_en)

</td><td>Investor pitch / EU programmes</td><td>medium</td><td>The forum ran Oct 20–21st 2026 and we missed the pitch session, which needed a minimum raise of €0.5M. Ministers used it to court EU energy investors.

</td><td>Aaron Tushabe</td><td>Send an intro to Cristina Banuta (Cristina.BANUTA@eeas.europa.eu) framing Garuga plus scale-up as €0.5M+, and ask about EU programmes for Ugandan energy SMEs.

</td></tr><tr><td>[Transforming Energy Access (UK Ayrton Fund)](https://tea.carbontrust.com/)

</td><td>Grant</td><td>medium</td><td>No open call found (Oct 2026). The UK extended the Ayrton Fund. Its Beyond-Zero project (locally repairable, expandable storage replacing generators) is led by Acele Africa.

</td><td>Aaron Tushabe</td><td>Watch for calls; explore partnering with Acele Africa.

</td></tr><tr><td>[ASCENT Project Preparation Facility (World Bank / COMESA)](https://www.comesa.int/call-for-proposals-ascent-ppf-private-sector-support-window/)

</td><td>Grant (project preparation) + TA</td><td>low</td><td>Not eligible yet: needs 3+ years of operations, $150k+ minigrid revenue, an active financing deal and 20% co-financing. The first cycle closed on Aug 31st 2026.

</td><td></td><td>Grants of $50k–200k. Revisit in 2027–28.

</td></tr><tr><td>[UECCC Solar Loan Program](https://www.ueccc.or.ug/)

</td><td>Debt (consumer finance via banks)</td><td>low</td><td>Not explored. Household and business solar credit through participating banks.

</td><td></td><td>Possible way to finance Garuga household connections later.

</td></tr></tbody></table>